Joins ANC
Heavily influenced by a trade unionist family member, Zuma becomes involved in politics at an early age and joins the African National Congress.
Elected national chairperson
Zuma is elected National Chairperson of the ANC and Chairperson of the ANC in Natal. An exception is made in the ANC constitution to allow him to hold both positions. A move that is called The Zuma Clause.
Elected Deputy President ANC
Zuma is elected deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC) at the national conference held in Mafikeng.
Elected ANC president
Zuma is elected president of the African National Congress at the party’s conference in Polokwane. Mbeki receives 1,505 votes to Zuma’s 2,329. As the announcement of each position is announced, thousands of delegates blow whistles, dance on tables and chairs, and sing and cheer—despite being asked to wait until after the announcement before applauding. Later the celebrations continue with fireworks.
Elected president
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress wins the country’s election. The ANC receives 65.9% of the vote, the Democratic Alliance 16.66% and the Congress of the People (COPE) – formed by ANC dissidents – 7.42%. The turnout is 77.30%. but the result falls just short of the two-thirds majority needed to make unchallenged changes to the constitution. Zuma claims victory and the outcome is welcomed by ministers in neighboring Zimbabwe as intensifying pressure on President Robert Mugabe.
Zuma impeachment motion notice
The Democratic Alliance gives the National Assembly notice of a motion to be debated on August 18 for the impeachment against President Zuma. DA leader Maimane:
The events that led to the escape of Bashir represent a clear violation of the president’s oath to ‘obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all other law of the Republic’ and serve as nothing less than grounds for his removal from office in terms of section 89[1][a] of the Constitution. In blatant disregard of their legal obligations, however, Cabinet granted Bashir immunity while attending the summit of the African Union [AU] in June, and subsequently allowed him to escape the country. President Zuma, as the head of the Cabinet, bears ultimate responsibility for this decision.
The ANC says the proposed motion is a publicity stunt by the DA:
Section 89 of the Constitution states amongst others that the president may only be removed from office for a serious violation of the Constitution or the law. No court of law has ever found the president guilty of violation of the law or the Constitution. In the absence of any constitutional or legal basis, Mmusi Maimane’s motion amounts to political posturing and is not worth the paper it is written on. As we have repeatedly stated, all heads of states and delegates that attended the African Union summit in Sandton were granted diplomatic immunity by the government in line with international standards and practices related to events such as the one held recently in our country.